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Can Meditation Affect Your DNA Makeup?

July 5, 2016

Written byCuriosity Staff

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Meditation has been proven to positively affect hypertension, anxiety, insomnia, PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and more in people. But new research suggests that meditating can affect the very makeup of your DNA. A recent study held by a Canadian research team looked at different groups of distressed breast cancer patients. Each group went through varying amounts of group therapy, yoga, and meditation sessions. The groups that went through yoga, meditative mindfulness practices, and group therapy had their telomeres in tact. Telomeres are stretches of DNA that act as caps on our chromosomes, and help prevent deterioration of chromosomes. Shortened telomeres are not likened to any specific disease, but we do know that they shorten with age.